


Razor's Edge

by bree_black



Series: You Sure Clean Up Nice [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Between Seasons/Series, Ficlet, Gift Fic, Grooming, M/M, Purgatory, Season/Series 08, Shaving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-07
Updated: 2012-09-07
Packaged: 2017-11-13 18:29:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/506425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bree_black/pseuds/bree_black
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I will do almost anything for you, Dean Winchester, but I will not set my face on fire!”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Razor's Edge

**Author's Note:**

> For kitsune_shika, who requested Dean/Castiel. I promise this one won't make you cry. Beta'd by GwendolynD.
> 
> Part of the "You Sure Clean Up Nice" series, a multi-pairing set of standalone ficlets written for my VanCon roommates based on (non-spoilery) things we heard at convention. Each set hypothetically in early S8, and for some reason each about grooming and personal hygeine?

Cas’ beard really freaks Dean out.

See, the rest of Purgatory isn’t actually that different than Dean’s ordinary life, lack of Sam aside. He spends all his time tracking and killing monsters, doesn’t get enough sleep, and is in pretty much constant need of a shower. Dean’s gotten pretty good at pretending Purgatory is just a really long wilderness hunting trip, and that once he finishes he can go back to civilization, back to motels and cheeseburgers and his Baby and his brother.

But Cas’ stupid beard fucks up the whole illusion.

Cas’ beard reminds Dean just how _wrong_ this place is. Reminds Dean that even angels are powerless here, so powerless they can’t even manage basic grooming. Every time he catches sight of Cas’ beard in his peripheral vision it tears down Dean’s carefully constructed fantasy, makes his hands shakes and bile rise in his throat. Dean _hates_ it.

So he decides to get rid of it.

“Can you just _try_?” he begs, for maybe the fiftieth time. “Just try one more time.”

Cas does, because he’s still carrying a lot of guilt and he’ll basically do anything Dean asks him to. But just like with every previous attempt, Cas is clean-shaven for less than three hours before the beard reappears, just as full and _horrible_ as ever.

Dean’s opposition to his facial hair makes Cas grumpy, though Dean doesn’t fully understand why. It’s not like he’s ever shown any interest in the scruffy, bushman look before now.

“I don’t understand why you’re so invested in this,” Cas says, watching Dean sharpen one stone against another. He’s been at it for hours, trying to make something sharp enough to function as a razor. They’ve already made weapons this way, of course, but they’re far more suitable for stabbing than for shaving.

Dean shrugs, not looking up from his work, and Cas sighs before wandering off to try to catch them a squirrel for supper. They try Dean’s makeshift razor after a dessert of wildberries, but only leaves Cas with some friction burn and a nasty scratch _in addition_ to the beard.

“What if we, like, burn it off?” Dean suggests idly, a few nights later, and Cas snaps.

“No!” he yells, scrambling to his feet. “I will do almost anything for you, Dean Winchester, but I will not _set my face on fire!_ ”

“Geez, Cas, calm down,” Dean says, getting to his feet too, since Cas looks like he’s about to punch someone and Dean is, quite literally, the only person around. “I was mostly joking.”

Cas scoffs. “Mostly. I’m sorry that you find me so unattractive, but it’s not something I can change. You have facial hair too, and I don’t complain.”

Dean’s mind reels, trying to catch up with Cas’ train of thought. “Wait, what?” he says. “Unattractive? You think that’s what this is about? Since when do you give a shit about being attractive?” _Especially to me_ , he thinks.

Cas just shrugs, an evasion Dean finds particularly frustrating because Cas picked it up from him.

“And wait, you think I’m unattractive now?” Dean says, vanity winning out over confusion. _Which would mean you found me attractive before_ , he observes mentally.

“No,” Cas answers, meeting Dean’s gaze in that eerily unblinking way he has when he’s particularly determined. “No, Dean, I do not find you unattractive.”

“Oh,” Dean says. “ _Oh._ ”

Cas looks down at the ground. “This is not something I ever meant to bring up. I would not have mentioned it if you hadn’t threatened to set my beard on fire.”

Dean knows he should probably sit down, should take some time to digest this new piece of information, to re-evaluate his relationship and history with Castiel now that he knows the angel totally had the hots for him the entire time.

But responsibility isn’t exactly Dean’s style, and it’s not like he has anything left to lose anymore, so instead he grabs Cas by the collar of his coat and pulls.

Cas flinches at first, like he expects Dean to punch him, but fear turns to something more like awe as their faces get so close together that even Castiel can’t mistake Dean’s intentions. Cas’ mouth tastes like the berries they’ve just eaten, tangy and sweet, and the kiss is hot and rough, with too much tongue and too many teeth. It’s exactly what Dean needs.

“I hated the beard because I was trying to fool myself into believing we weren’t trapped down here,” Dean says breathlessly, once they break apart for air. “But that wasn’t really working so I think maybe we should just try to make the best of a bad situation instead.”

Cas nods, still staring at Dean like he’s the most wonderful thing in the entire universe. It makes Dean feel unworthy and self-conscious, so he kisses Cas again.

The beard scratches Dean’s face, makes his skin feel all tingly and awake. And you know what? He kind of likes it.


End file.
